Gryphon ~ Jaylon Smith ~ Notre Dame Fighting Irish ~ 6020/224

Regarding Gryphons

Throughout the FootBall World, Defenses are undergoing Transformational, Revolutionary Change. Old Roles are getting dramatically transformed, and virtually every Front 7 ~ or Front 6!! ~ Defensive Job Description is transitioning into an Hybrid Role where the Defender is asked to excel in multiple Roles and in multiple Fronts.

For that reason, and in order to offer NomenClature that speaks not to archaic, obsolete "Positions", but rather to Skill Sets that accurately reflect the dynamic Changes of the 21st Century Game and the Roles they have spawned, I have undertaken to craft Terminology that is designed to break Skill Sets down as they really are.

Defensive Coordinators have, since Time Immemorial, employed highly creative terminology in devising Defenses and in designating Assignments. In that Spirit, I have admittedly indulged myself considerably in devising the following NomenClature. It is undeniably colorful, but I like to think that there's an underlying Logic, as well:

Gryphons ~ The Gryphon of ancient Egyptian Lore is an Hybrid of a Lion and an Eagle, and thus I believe an utterly perfect term for an emerging Role ~ and the attendant Skill Set ~ that I believe is going to become of enormous Importance in the Decades to come: The Hybrid MidFielder/RoverBack ~ that's "LineBacker/Strong Safety" to you Earthlings. The Base Formation is rapidly approaching Extinction: The Sub Package Is The New Base, Ladies & Laddies!! The next Development in the Eternal War between Offense and Defense may very well be an 11th Player ~ that same MidFielder/RoverBack Hybrid ~ playing Full Time!! The Prototype would be about 6000/225, I'd say.

The Gryphon would optimally be able to play RoverBack in "Base" Formations, and drop down to MidFielder for Big Nickel.

Gryphons could thus quite conceivably emerge as the Field Generals of the Defense in the Years to come.

Run Defense: Smith exhibits incredible Core Power and is far more stout at the Point of Attack than I'd expect of a 224 Pounder. His Combat Skills are moderate, with exceptional Persistence but mediocre Mechanics, though with his amazing Agility and excellent Field Vision, he's already exceptional at navigating Traffic and his Range is astonishing.

Blitz Bonus: Smith has tremendous Potential as a Pass Rusher, despite minimal Stats at Notre Dame. That combination of Speed, Fluidity, and rapidly improving Field Vision translate into a potentially deadly Weapon.​

Jaylen Smith Prospectus

Jaylon Smith was considered a Top 5 Prospect by some before that horrible Knee Injury that's put his Career in Doubt.

The way I see it, it's a matter of assessing what the Chances are of his Nerves recovering.

At issue are both his Chances of playing at all, and his Chances of recovering fully.

I've researched, and it seems that the Medical Field has very little to say about it.

That leaves us with Speculation.

Well, I'm gonna say that my perception of recent History is that there is a very substantial Chance ~ about 50/50 ~ that Smith never recovers fully, and a realistic Chance that he never recovers well enough to see the Field.

Yet if he recovers fully, I'd be among those giving'm a Top 5 Grade.

His situation is certainly an interesting contrast to that of Myles Jack, who also faces an uncertain Future.

I think that the CowBoys overpaid for'm. I think that the Uncertainty and thus the Risk is so substantial that a 3rd Round Grade is what I come up with based on what little any of us know, despite his awesome Potential.

So I'll be grading the Pick accordingly, but please keep in mind that when I slap Red Ink on a Prospect's Profile and lay down an "OverRated" Grade, I am disagreeing with the Market, not criticizing the Prospect.

And indeed, I'll be employing a term other than that one in Smith's case, because in my view he has the Potential to become an absolutely amazing 3 Way Threat as a Run Defender, as a Pass Defender, and as a Pass Rusher.

Grateful Thanks, as always, for the crucial Work done by the folks at Draft BreakDown!!​​​

Yank Rank: SuperBeast ~ Russian Roulette

​Play!!

Market Value

#34

Yankee Grade

3rd Round

Please do Note: This and all Evaluations issued by this Site are produced by a ludicrously unqualified Amateur, privy to not even the tiniest fraction of Coach's Tape, Scouting Expertise, Face to Face Interviewing, Experience, or Inside Information enjoyed by the Professionals. As such, anything put forth is certainly misinformed, euphonious, derivative Tripe, and should be rejected out'f hand and indeed shunned by all men and women of Good Will!! I'm trying to discern Power, Agility, Combat Skills, and far more abstract, esoteric Concepts such as Processing Speed and Motor, and I'm trying to do so based almost entirely on a fascinating fusion of Tape, Combine Numbers, and Pro Days, while trying to attenuate my findings based on Allowances for Competition Level, Scheme, Concept, Context, and, above all: Trajectory!!

This is not is even remotely a Complaint, mind you, but rather a Warning: Caveat Emptor!!